For the third quarter, Cogeco Cable posted a net profit of $53.1-million -- or $1.08 per share – compared with $53.2-million or $1.09 per share in the year-earlier period.

The $1.08-per-share result beat analysts’ consensus estimate of $1.03.

Earnings in the third quarter of 2013 that were boosted by the inclusion of the two acquisitions were also partly offset by the acquisition costs, additional depreciation and amortization and financial expense, including about $3.5-million in refinancing of some long-term debt, Cogeco Cable said.

Third-quarter revenue at Cogeco Cable was up 45.3 per cent to $464.5-million.

Cogeco Cable’s Canadian operations lost 7,363 basic cable subscribers in the quarter, higher than the forecast of 5,500 net losses by Desjardins Securities analyst Maher Yaghi.

On the U.S. side, the company posted a net loss of 1,044 cable subscribers, compared with Mr. Yaghi’s estimate of 1,000.

“We are satisfied with the favourable results obtained for the third quarter of fiscal 2013,” Cogeco Inc. president and chief executive officer Louis Audet said in a news release late Wednesday.

“The cable subsidiary continues along a path of steady growth and profitability, as per expectations. In the last three months, we successfully refinanced over half of Cogeco Cable’s indebtedness in order to take advantage of historically low interest rates.”

Cogeco Cable raised its quarterly dividend to 26 cents per share from 25 cents in the third quarter.

Third-quarter cash flow at the subsidiary reached $43.1-million, up 68.4 per cent from $25.6-million.

In preliminary guidance for fiscal 2014, the company said it expects revenue for the year of $1.935-billion; Mr. Yaghi’s estimate is $1.914-billion and consensus is $1.922-billion.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) is forecast by the company to be $885-million, compared with Mr. Yaghi’s $873-million and consensus of $864-million.

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